Lok Sabha adjourned over Lalit Modi, Vyapam

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday following repeated disruptions by the opposition parties over the issues of former IPL chief Lalit Modi and the Vyapam scam.

As soon as the house assembled for the day, the opposition started raising slogans against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on the Lalit Modi issue and the Vyapam recruitment scam in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Madhya Pradesh.

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Veerappa Moily moved an adjournment motion in the house on the issue of former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi, which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected.

Leaders of almost all opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, trooped to the speaker's podium wearing black bands and carrying placards.

Members of opposition parties raised placards reading slogans like 'Bade Modi meherban, to chhote Modi pehelwan' (meaning the junior brother is having a ride in the shadow of senior brother) and 'PM chuppi todo' (Break your silence, prime minister).

Members of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti were seen demanding a separate high court in Telangana.

As Speaker Mahajan tried to conduct the Question Hour, the members started raising slogans, forcing her to adjourn the house till noon.

When the house reassembled, Mahajan forwarned members of disciplinary action for carrying placards.

"I would request the members carrying placards to refrain from doing so. I would initiate appropriate disciplinary action against the members if they didn't," she said.

As the opposition continued raising slogans and displaying placards, she again adjourned the house till 2 p.m.

Similar scenes were witnessed when the house re-assembled at 2 p.m. after which dDputy Speaker Thambi Durai adjourned the house for the day.

The Congress, which is the main opposition party, has been demanding the resignations of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for their links with former IPL chief Lalit Modi and also the removal of Madhaya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in connection with the Vyapam scam.

In the morning, Swaraj tweeted that a senior Congress leader had pressed her to give diplomatic passport to a scam accused Congress leader.